Flightline, the US wonder horse from 2022, entered the horse racing hall-of-fame on Tuesday after getting a rating of 140 at the Longines World Racing Awards in London – the same rating as the 14-race unbeaten Frankel – and in the process was named the 2022 World’s Best Racehorse.
Flightline Receives World Ranking Of 140 – Equalling Frankel
The guests at the Longines World Racing Awards at Banqueting House in London saw history in the making on Tuesday January 17, when the John W Sadler-trained Flightline was given a ranking of 140 – the same mark as Frankel got in 2012.
Flightline Retired Unbeaten with Six Straight Wins
Flightline was written in many horse racing headlines during 2022 after rising up the ranks to win all six starts before retiring to stud, with his most memorable success coming in the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland on 5th November (watch below).
The John W Sadler-trained superstar recorded his wins at Santa Anita (2), Del Mar (2), Belmont and Keeneland, Flightline and during those six victories his aggregate winning margin was a staggering 71 3/4 lengths.
Happy Saver (6 lengths) will go down in history as the horse that finished closest to Flightline, when runner-up to the then 4 year-old in the Grade One Hill ‘N’ Dale Metropolitan Handicap on 11th June 2022.
After the Breeders’ Cup Classic win at Keeneland, Flightline was retired to stud, but having recorded a mark of 140, this rating dwarfed previous highest-rated dirt horse (Cigar), who had been given a rating of 135 in 1996.
WATCH: Flightline winning the Breeders’ Cup Classic 2022
Flightline Career in Numbers
- Trainer: John W Sadler
- Rated: 140
- Career Runs: 6
- Career Wins: 6
- Grade One Wins: 4
- Total Career Earnings: $4,514,800
- Last Run: 1st, Breeders’ Cup Classic (2022)
Frankel and Flightline Two Greats That Can’t Be Separated
The world horse racing classifications began in 1977 and since then Flightline joins only Frankel at the summit with his new mark of 140.
It’s always hard to analyze any sportsman or woman across generations and the same applies to horse racing.
Some will argue that Frankel and Flightline can’t be compared with the US-based Flightline having raced just 6 times, while Frankel remained unbeaten on 14 occasions.
Frankel also won 10 Grade One, that included the 2000 Guineas in 2011 at Newmarket, which is six more than Flightline’s four wins at the highest level, but regardless of your view they were both top-class race horses that deserve their marks at the top of the World Ranking tree.
Maybe if you’re thinking of owning a horse give it a name that starts with the letter ‘F’!
Frankel Career in Numbers
- Trainer: Sir Henry Cecil
- Rated: 140
- Career Runs: 14
- Career Wins: 14
- Grade One Wins: 10
- Total Career Earnings: $4,789,144
- Last Run: 1st, Ascot Champion Stakes (2012)
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